Ali
Larijani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator,
said his country will pursue its own path.
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran
will resume large-scale nuclear enrichment if the
International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors refers
the Islamic Republic to the U.N. Security Council, the
country's chief nuclear negotiator said Sunday.
Ali Larijani also warned that Iran could use its oil
production "as a weapon" if the nuclear imbroglio worsens.
The IAEA board of governors meets Monday, and it is
expected to refer the matter to the Security Council.
"Referral to the Security Council will not have any
benefit for us or anyone else," said Larijani.
"And this will actually cause a lot of problems for
others. Referral to Security Council would definitely be a
setback to the discussion and the talks. To have a nuclear
program, this is our God-given right, and no country will
give up such a right. We have left all the doors open for
discussion."
"We will definitely resume our enrichment and if Iran is
referred to the Security Council."
Iran has already resumed enrichment on a very small scale
at its Natanz research facility, testing an cascading array
of 20 centrifuges, according to the IAEA. Thousands of
centrifuges are required to produce enough enriched uranium
to be useful.
Iran insists it wants to use its nuclear program to
augment a burgeoning domestic demand for electricity,
freeing up its vast oil reserves -- Iran is estimated to
have the fourth largest in the world -- for export.
But the West -- particularly the United States --
believes Iran intends to build nuclear weapons, an
allegation Iran denies. Three years of negotiations with
Britain, France and Germany -- known as the EU-3 -- failed
to produce an agreement.
The last such negotiations fell apart Friday, although
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the
talks were held in a "very constructive atmosphere" and he
remained hopeful that Tehran "will take the necessary steps
for confidence-building measures in order to continue the
dialogue which we all very much want."
Larijani had requested that session after meeting in
Moscow with officials about a Russian proposal to enrich
uranium for Tehran inside Russia, provided Iran cease
enrichment activities inside its own borders. But, he said
Sunday that "the doors to discussion are open."
"We would like to continue our dialogue," he said.
He warned, however, that adverse action against Iran by
the Security Council could force Iran to respond in kind.
"We have no interest to use oil as a sort of weapon to
fight other countries," he said. "But naturally, this may
become a weapon of resistance from our country if the
situation gets worse."
"To threaten Iran ... it just causes Iran to cut back on
its cooperation," he said.
Larijani also blamed the United States for fanning the
flames the problem.
"The American Government needs to create some kind of
crisis because, now, in regard to Iraq, they have made a
huge mess, and now they have to redirect the attention of
the world to something else."
The United States has no direct ties with Iran.
Original article
